Tea’d Off
Andrew Breitbart's May 2010 defense of the Tea Party in an exclusive interview with the HPR.
On the Newsstand:Deficit
Getting It Right: Compromises We Need to Reduce the Deficit
What the Super Committee should have done.
Breaking Down The Super Committee
The HPR's team of US writers debates the various divisions plaguing the Select Committee on Deficit Reduction.
Fixing the Brew: How to Make the Tea Party More Viable
Critics claim the Tea Party is not a viable force in the political lexicon long-term. Naji Filali has some friendly advice for changing that.
Interview with Austrian Economist Mark Thornton
The housing bubble, gold jewelry, and a Keynes versus Hayek rap battle
Marijuana From A to Z: Politics of Stupidity
Legalization of the oft-stigmatized drug is the only option. I was eating an absolutely delectable meal at the dining hall several nights ago, minding my own business, and savoring the taste of each bite of my popcorn shrimp, when a random outburst from down the table awoke me from my food-induced reverie. “You know, I used to look down on ... Read More
Walk the Walk: Will Congress Move Forward on Deficit Reduction?
This post is in effect a response to a comment that Caroline Cox posted to my Post-Midterm Predictions, in which she inquired if all this Republican rhetoric of fiscal conservatism would actually translate into action. I agree that it will be interesting to see if the deficit becomes a real policy issue rather than a mere line in a speech ... Read More
The Dangers of Direct Democracy
In Federalist No. 63, James Madison wrote that the defining principle of American democracy, as compared to Athenian democracy, “lies in the total exclusion of the people in their collective capacity.” But since Madison wrote those words, several direct-democratic institutions have been introduced into American politics. California became the first state to adopt a ballot-initiative process in 1911, enabling citizens ... Read More
Disgrace. Charlie Crist’s Ungainly Political Manueverings
Disgrace is the only word apt to describe Governor Charlie Crist these days. After being passed up as John McCain’s VP choice, perhaps the apex of his political success, Crist decided to abandon running for reelection for the governorship of Florida, a position he would likely have won easily. Instead, Crist continued a lifelong power-grab, running for the US Senate ... Read More
Weighing in on Robin Hood Again
Peyton has posted a rejoinder to Max, trying to buttress his initial claim that it is “inappropriate for 73 percent of federal income taxes to be paid by 10 percent of the American population.” I am struck by a few things from Peyton’s post, and I want to pull them out and talk about them directly. First, Peyton argues that ... Read More
Robin Hood Strikes Again, Part 2
In his April 11 post, “Weighing In: The Great Tax Debate,” Max Novendstern rebuts my most recent argument that it is inappropriate for 73 percent of federal income taxes to be paid by 10 percent of the American population. Since our disagreement is to at least some extent based on our differing conceptions of fairness, I will offer only a ... Read More
Robin Hood Strikes Again
For nearly half of American households this year, April 15 will be no different from any other day. AP’s Stephen Ohlemacher reported on Thursday that, according to the Tax Policy Center in Washington, about 47 percent of Americans will pay no federal income taxes for FY2009, either because their incomes were too low, or they qualified for enough credits, deductions, ... Read More
Will We Ever Be Ready for President Mark Warner?
That’s right. That’s Mark Warner, junior Democratic Senator from Virginia, who won an astonishing 65% of the vote in 2008 (besting Obama by 12 percent), after a highly acclaimed term of Governor from 2002-2006. That’s the same Mark Warner who was rumored to be considering a Presidential run in 2008, a favorite among the establishment elite for his mixture of ... Read More
